I am still waiting to board the smart phone train. Since newer and newer things are coming to market so fast, I thought of waiting till the dust settles. My idea of a smart phone is the one which will replace all those remotes in my household and also my TV set top box. I will buy that smart phone which will fulfill my above wish-list.

As for form factor, I carry my iPhone in my jacket pocket at work and my front pocket when in my jeans. No problem. Since you've switched to a Mac the iPhone is your obvious choice; no contest. Apple builds elegant products that you would be proud to put on the table during the meeting.
Android may sound intriguing being open-source and all. But with it comes the usual issues of incompatible applications and the threat of malware. Don't cry foul Android users. I seeing more and more headlines about Android attacks, still have seen on about the iPhone.
Sometimes a closed system is better, particularly when comes to something as personal as a smart phone. It becomes an extension of how you get your work done and manage your personal life.

Following the allusion in your headline—I have a shoe phone, and it would be impolite for me to place it on the table during a meeting. No, just kidding—I have a conventionally shaped smart phone, and I do tend to put it on the table during meetings. I’ve not given it much thought, and I do not take calls during meetings, but it does strike me as impolite, now that Duane and Frank mention it. As for a laptop during a meeting, there might be legitimate reasons—taking notes, for example. As for smart phones in general, I’ve had several, beginning years ago with a Palm model with the hieroglyphics. I used to use them to read the newspapers while commuting by public transportation, although that’s out now that I have to drive to work, due to a relocation. If you don’t have a smart phone already, you might see what develops in the tablet world. A dumb phone and a tablet might be the best combination. I haven’t got onboard with the tablet yet and am debating whether to go with a full-blown tablet or a Nook or Kindle e-reader.

Duane, I'm with you on this one. As much as I would love a smartphone, for now I just can't justify it.
For those of us who spend most of our workday in front of a computer and of course have one or more of them at home, the only time I'm without internet is when I'm driving. For $30/month, I think I can live with that inconvenience for awhile.
The form factor issue is a real consideration. I too like to keep my phone in my front pants pocket, and I think women have a distinct advantage in this regard because they carry purses. My wife's Droid X is always nearby, in her purse, but I don't see myself carrying something that large in my pocket. Sure, there are more pocket-friendly form factors out there, but there's always a trade-off.
Your comments about meeting etiquette -- not only regarding smartphones, but also laptops -- should be the subject of another blog. Regarding people who 'check out' and spend an entire meeting absorbed with their portable devices, my question is why did they even bother to attend?

I will stay away from the smart phone train for a while. It's not that I don't see the value in the products. I do. Rather, I just have a different set of priorities. Beyond a certain feature set, the size of the phone becomes more important to me than extras like email and Internet access. I’ve always wanted a phone that I can comfortably and safely keep in my front pants pocket. I do miss email and Internet access, but I would miss the added portability even more. That and I don’t miss the $30.00 extra a month for a data plan.
I’ve noticed an odd phenomenon with smart phones. People tend to set them on the table when in meetings. I don’t know if it’s a status thing or just that they don’t have a convenient place to keep the phone while setting down. When cell phones (and PDAs) were new, I noticed the same thing.
I’ve also observed that those smart phones sitting on the table tend to get used during meetings a lot more frequently than do smaller phones. Maybe the meetings are boring enough that the attendees feel the need to check out and surf or email, but I find it to be incredibly disruptive and quite annoying. I’m curious if others have notice the smart phone on table / in meeting use as I have.